Federal License Granted To Manufacturer Of 3D-Printed Guns

On Saturday, six months after putting in an application, Defense Distributed owner and founder Cody Wilson officially became a federally licensed gun dealer and manufacturer. The Type 7 federal firearms license enables Defense Distributed to sell and transport their 3D-printed firearms, but Wilson has applied for an add-on, the Class 2 Special Occupational Taxpayer (SOT), that will allow the company to broaden their catalog to include such products as a fully-automatic rifle.

What's the Big Idea?

Defense Distributed has been prototyping 3D-printed guns for some time, including, earlier this month, an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with a modified 3D-printed "lower" that withstood over 600 rounds in a videotaped demonstration. The company also offers its schematics on its site for download. Donations have been pouring in since news came of Wilson's efforts, but he says he will wait until he receives the add-on -- typically within a few weeks -- before putting the guns on the market. As an official gun dealer, he is also required to keep records on all the guns Defense Distributed produces and sells.

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